COLLEGE ROUNDUP : UCI Rallies in Eighth to Upset Illinois

UC Irvine rallied for four runs in the eighth inning to defeat Illinois, 4-3, in a nonconference baseball game Friday at Irvine.

Irvine’s rally started with a one-out single by Chris Gallego. Al Rodriguez followed with an RBI double. Osmar DeChavez singled home Rodriguez.

Mike Goodcase grounded out, and John Berger walked to bring up Billy Bardens, who lined a ball over the left fielder’s head for a two-run, game-winning triple.

Ken Whitworth (7-2) pitched his fourth consecutive complete game for the victory. Whitworth allowed eight hits, and one earned run and had 10 strikeouts.

Irvine (19-9) again plays host to 11th-ranked Illinois (12-9) at 7 tonight.

In other nonconference baseball:

Cal State Fullerton 4, California 3 (10 innings)--Steve Sisco had a fly-ball single over a drawn-in outfield with the bases loaded in the 10th for host Fullerton (14-10).

Fullerton had trailed, 3-2, in the ninth when freshman Phil Nevin hit a solo home run.

Winning pitcher Doug Ketchen (2-1) retired Cal in order in the 10th, then Mate Borgogno singled to start the Fullerton rally. Rich Gonzales and Matt Hattabugh both bunted and reached on errors, bringing up Sisco.

Southern California College 9, Metro State 2--Doug Rystrom (2-2) pitched a four-hitter, striking out seven and allowing five walks. Paul Plyler had two hits, including a solo home run in the fifth inning for SCC (15-10). Ralph Garcia added two hits and two RBIs.

In the California Collegiate Athletic Assn.:

Chapman 9, Cal State Dominguez Hills 8--Doug Yates hit a two-out two-run home run in the eighth inning to help Chapman (15-12, 6-5) win at Hart Park. Mike Giuseffi hit a solo home run for Chapman.

In the Cal State Fullerton softball tournament:

Cal State Fullerton 3, Utah 0--Ann Van Dortrecht pitched a one-hitter, striking out 12, for Cal State Fullerton (23-8), the top-ranked team in the nation. Missy Coombes had an RBI single in the second; Carey Hess had a triple and scored on an error in the third, and Yevette Hernandez reached on a fielder’s choice and later scored on a bases-loaded walk in the fifth for Fullerton. Fullerton will play Oregon today at 1.

In the UC Irvine men’s tennis tournament:

UC Irvine 5, Duke 4--Irvine advanced to the semifinals with the victory. Trevor Kronemann won, 6-3, 6-3; Richard Lubner won, 6-4, 7-6; Shige Kanroji won, 6-7, 6-0, 6-4, and Randy Ivey won, 7-6, 4-6, 6-1, for Irvine in singles. Kronemann and Carsten Hoffmann won, 6-2, 6-1, in doubles to clinch the match.

Irvine plays Wisconsin at 1:30 p.m. and Harvard plays Auburn at 9 a.m. in today’s semifinals at UC Irvine.